What Is Dandruff
Dandruff is the shedding of excessive dead skin (scalp) cells. It is normal for skin to flake resulting to dandruff, but excessive flaking is different. Skin tissues or cells die every time and it is a normal thing. However, when it comes to flaking large amounts of flakes can cause irritation, redness, and itchiness of scalp. Most of the time dandruff is easily treated with special dandruff shampoos.
Excessive flaking can also be a symptom of seborrhoeic dermatitis, psoriasis, fungal infection or excoriation associated with infestation of head lice. It happens to anyone all over the globe, a dilemma not only to common people but even famous ones as well. Dandruff does not pick anyone, and many people feel that dandruff can cause social or self-esteem problems. Treatment may be important purely for psychological reasons.
Causes of Dandruff
When the epidermal layer of the scalp replaces, it pushes off the outer layer which eventually dies and flakes off as dandruff. It is usually too tiny to see and not visible in the eyes. However, in some cases cell change are a bit rapid than others. For people with dandruff, skin cells may mature and be shed in 2 - 7 days, as opposed to around a month in people without dandruff. The result is that dead skin cells are shed in large, oily clumps, which appear as white or grayish patches on the scalp, skin, and clothes.
Dandruff has been shown to be the result of three required factors:
1.Individual weakness
2.Skin oil commonly referred to as sebum or sebaceous secretions
3.The metabolic by-products of skin micro-organisms (most specifically Malassezia yeasts)
Common older literature cites the fungus Malassezia furfur (previously known as Pityrosporum ovale) as the cause of dandruff. While this fungus is found naturally on the skin surface of both healthy people and those with dandruff, it was discovered that a scalp specific fungus,Malassezia globosa, is the responsible agent. This fungus metabolizes triglycerides present in sebum by the expression of lipase, resulting in a lipid byproduct oleic acid (OA). Penetration by OA of the top layer of the epidermis, the stratum corneum, results in an inflammatory response in susceptible persons which disturbs homeostasis and results in erratic cleavage of stratum corneum cells.
It can also be considered that dandruff can be a manifestation of an allergic reaction to chemicals in hair gels/sprays, hair oils, or sometimes even dandruff medications like ketonazole. And there is no evidence that sugar or yeast in foods, too much perspiration, or climatic issues have any role in the pathogenesis of dandruff.
Treatments
Easiest and common way to treat dandruff is to shampoo well. Shampooing regularly and keeping a tidy and clean hair will remove flaking. Regular use of anti-fungal shampoos can help prevent dandruff from coming back.